Stevens Ranks No. 1 in New Jersey for Graduate Earnings in New Federal Salary Data

A new federal transparency initiative confirms what Stevens families have long understood: A degree from Stevens Institute of Technology delivers exceptional career outcomes, high graduate salaries and one of the strongest returns on investment (ROI) in New Jersey and the nation.

This week, the U.S. Department of Education added a “lower earnings indicator” to the 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Submission Summary, flagging institutions whose graduates earn less than typical high school graduates in the same state. The measure draws on College Scorecard earnings data, which reports the median salary of college graduates four years after completing their degree. This new federal metric helps students compare college earnings outcomes, salary data and long-term ROI across nearly 5,000 U.S. institutions.

How Stevens performs in the new federal earnings data

Stevens not only avoided the lower-earnings flag, it emerged as a national leader in graduate salaries. In the Department’s new earnings file, Stevens graduates report median earnings — a key College Scorecard salary metric — of $111,977 (2025 inflation-adjusted) four years after graduation, placing Stevens first among all New Jersey institutions and 32nd nationally among nearly 5,000 colleges and universities in the federal dataset.

These results position Stevens in the top 1% of institutions nationwide, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the country’s most selective, research-intensive universities and outperforming nearly all comparable institutions in early-career earnings. The strong earnings outcomes reflect Stevens’ longstanding focus on experiential learning, industry engagement and rigorous, technology-driven academics.

An economic mobility engine

The data also highlight Stevens’ impact on upward mobility. Analysis of publicly available federal data for Pell Grant recipients at Stevens shows median earnings that closely align with the overall median. Stevens is part of a very small group of U.S. universities whose graduates, regardless of family income, achieve exceptional early-career salaries.

These outcomes place Stevens among the best colleges in the nation for economic mobility and reinforce the university’s mission of expanding opportunity through high-value education.

Consistently recognized for ROI and career success

These findings reinforce Stevens’ long-standing reputation for career success and value. The university ranks:

• No. 9 among “Colleges With the Best Return on Investment” according to U.S. News & World Report

• No. 12 on The Princeton Review’s “Top 20 Best Career Placement” list

• No. 16 nationally in Georgetown University’s 2025 analysis of 4,600 colleges ranked by return on investment 40 years after enrollment

“These results reflect our unwavering commitment to preparing students not just for their first job, but for lifelong career success,” said President Nariman Farvardin. “At Stevens, we combine rigorous academics with real-world experience through co-ops, internships and industry partnerships, and these outcomes show that approach works.”

Stevens’ Class of 2024 Career Outcomes Report underscores this strength: 96.8% of graduates were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation, with an average salary of $84,800. Notably, 82% of employed graduates completed at least one work experience before graduation.

Stevens continues to invest in expanding access and opportunity through initiatives like The Stevens Investment, which will provide full tuition coverage for qualifying students from families earning $75,000 or less, beginning in fall 2026.

The Department of Education’s full earnings dataset is available for download on the Federal Student Aid website.